1. Field
A doorbell apparatus and a method of controlling power supply of a doorbell apparatus are disclosed herein.
2. Background
A doorbell system applied in a home may include a transformer, a doorbell, and a doorbell apparatus. FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate examples of a doorbell system. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a transformer 10 may include a primary coil and a secondary coil. The primary coil may be connected to an indoor alternating current (AC) power supply, and the secondary coil may be connected to a chime bell 12 and a doorbell apparatus 14. The transformer 10 may convert an AC voltage into a voltage having a level appropriate to drive the chime bell 12. For example, the transformer 10 may convert an AC voltage of 110 V into a voltage of 8 V to 24 V to drive the chime bell 12. The chime bell 12 may be a device configured to output a sound using electromagnetism or electricity and may be used interchangeably with, for example, a bell, a buzzer, a chime, or a doorbell. The chime bell 12 may be a mechanical chime bell configured to output a short sound using a firing pin or an electronic chime bell configured to output a melody.
As shown in FIG. 1, when the chime bell 12 is a mechanical chime bell, the transformer 10, the chime bell 12, and the doorbell apparatus 14 may be connected in series. When a doorbell button is pressed, a closed circuit may be formed with respect to the chime bell 12. A high current may flow in a wire coil in the chime bell 12, and thus, the wire coil may become an electromagnet. The firing pin may be provided inside the wire coil, and the wire coil becoming the electromagnet may pull the firing pin to output a sound.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the chime bell 12 is an electronic chime bell, the chime bell 12 may be connected in parallel to the transformer 10, and the doorbell apparatus 14 may be connected in parallel to the chime bell 12. The chime bell 12 may include a logic circuit including a main control unit (MCU). The MCU of the chime bell 12 may be operated using a current supplied separately from the transformer 10 and may continuously output a melody for a set time even when the doorbell button is pressed for a short time.
As shown in FIG. 3, even when the chime bell 12 is an electronic chime bell, the transformer 10, the chime bell 12, and the doorbell apparatus 14 may be connected in series. In this case, in order to extend a time for the chime bell 12 to output the melody, a diode D may be connected to the doorbell apparatus 14.
A doorbell apparatus may be an apparatus configured to announce the presence of a visitor and may include a doorbell interface. The doorbell interface may include, for example, an image module, a sensor module, an audio module, a communication module, and a light emitting diode (LED) module. As the doorbell interface included in the doorbell apparatus may include various functions and modules, power consumed by the doorbell apparatus may be increased.
Therefore, the doorbell apparatus may further include a battery. The doorbell apparatus may be driven using power supplied in a normal fashion. When an emergency such as a blackout occurs or when the power cannot be temporarily supplied to the doorbell apparatus due to a doorbell button being pressed, the doorbell apparatus may be driven using power stored in the battery.
When supply of power to the doorbell apparatus is cut off for a long time due to the emergency, such as, e.g., the blackout, the doorbell apparatus may be unstably operated or the battery power may be discharged. When the discharging of power in the battery is repeated, a lifespan of the battery may be reduced.